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Budge_Ethiopic_Alexander

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238 THE HISTORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.<br />

"from coming out, and even men shall not be able<br />

"to come through it." Then he poured iron over<br />

the threshold and fastened the gate with el-ydsus<br />

fastenings, that is to say with phylacteries, which<br />

are writings in Greek, so that it might not be<br />

opened without the command of God Almighty.<br />

And again he brought brass and iron, and he<br />

mixed them together and made for the gate a<br />

key with twelve teeth,' and he made for it a<br />

lock {}) and a ring in brass, and a number of men<br />

brought it and [p. 136] he shut the gate. Then<br />

<strong>Alexander</strong> spake, saying, "When the time shall<br />

"arrive for punishment to be meted out, and God<br />

'Almighty, the Most High, shall give the order<br />

"for this gate to be opened, then shall it' be<br />

"opened and the earth shall be right; and men<br />

"shall marvel at the eate."<br />

The gate Now when <strong>Alexander</strong> had finished the work of<br />

sealed,<br />

"" the gate he closed it firmly, and sealed it, and<br />

covered it over and protected it^ with phylacteries,<br />

against which neither fire nor sworcl nor any other<br />

thing could prevail." And he wrote in lead above<br />

' According the Syriac (p. 153) the key was twelve cu-<br />

bits long.<br />

' Read fl^h'tJ: : J Read flJ

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